Sadly, this is a result of the system purge keeping us slightly afloat for many years (the we can't rebuild mentality). Eventually, you have to. You can say "we can't" until you're blue in the face, but it's a reality for teams not the Yankees. The bubble bursts eventually, it's more about the position you put yourself in when it happens that determines how long it takes. And we've put ourselves in the WORST possible situation going in (expensive, non-tradeable roster and no minor league system).

This team isn't winning in the next five years. No one should be untradeable. Not even Sale. There's no guarantee he'll be here when we're ready to compete again.

The truly unfair thing is guys like De Aza, who never belonged in a major league lineup to begin with, get called out for not producing or making errors.

He is who he is. His swing is long because he doesn't have the tools necessary to hit another way. He's adequate defensively, but a better corner option. Yeah, he produced for a stretch despite it. But the league caught up. It's not his fault expectations are unreasonable in regards to him. Blame the general manager for not noticing and addressing it. The guy is a fourth outfielder, always has been.

Maybe the league has figured him out or maybe not. The approach he has at the plate this year seems different than last year. He has been way more aggressive (even for him) and the swing he had last year wasn't always this long. The defense wasn't gold glove but he was very solid out there. He also got on base at a decent clip. For part of 2011 and all of 2012, he was a capable leadoff man. Fourth outfielders don't usually hit .280+ after 800 ABs as a starter. I'm not comfortable saying "he just isn't that good" yet.

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The very existence of flamethrowers proves that some time, somewhere, someone said to themselves, "You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, but I'm just not close enough to get the job done." -George Carlin

Maybe the league has figured him out or maybe not. The approach he has at the plate this year seems different than last year. He has been way more aggressive (even for him) and the swing he had last year wasn't always this long. The defense wasn't gold glove but he was very solid out there. He also got on base at a decent clip. For part of 2011 and all of 2012, he was a capable leadoff man. Fourth outfielders don't usually hit .280+ after 800 ABs as a starter. I'm not comfortable saying "he just isn't that good" yet.

I'm having a hard time finding footage of his swing last year where it wasn't long.

I'm not saying it doesn't exist, but my impression last year was that his swing was always too long to be successful and clips of his hitting from last year aren't really dissuading my thoughts on the subject...

That said, THANK GOD they caught lightning in a bottle one season and have a championship banner hanging.

It makes what's coming a little more bearable.

The Sox are the family that draws out of its IRA to buy nice automobiles.
At some point, the well runs dry and nothing remains but a couple of fully depreciated assets.

It's time to eat ramen noodles, Sox fans.

Cute. I've been posting for years that it's an unsustainable business model. The part of an organization that decides on the business model is the Board of Directors. The head of the Board of Directors is called the Chairman. You do the math.

Cute. I've been posting for years that it's an unsustainable business model. The part of an organization that decides on the business model is the Board of Directors. The head of the Board of Directors is called the Chairman. You do the math.

I'm having a hard time finding footage of his swing last year where it wasn't long.

I'm not saying it doesn't exist, but my impression last year was that his swing was always too long to be successful and clips of his hitting from last year aren't really dissuading my thoughts on the subject...

Well, he has 45Ks already this year (only 109Ks in 2012) and 7HRs (only 8HRs all of last year) and it is only May 14th. These stats would seem to indicate a longer swing and different approach in 2013. Longer swings will often inflate both the K and HR categories. Even if the swing is not the difference, his overall approach in 2013 has become insanely over aggressive for a leadoff man and not indicative of what he showed in 2012 in my opinion.

Well, he has 45Ks already this year (only 109Ks in 2012) and 7HRs (only 8HRs all of last year) and it is only May 14th. These stats would seem to indicate a longer swing and different approach in 2013. Longer swings will often inflate both the K and HR categories. Even if the swing is not the difference, his overall approach in 2013 has become insanely over aggressive for a leadoff man and not indicative of what he showed in 2012 in my opinion.

His approach doesn't look different, at least not to my eyes.

I think the league is just pitching him how they should now. This isn't something new to this year. After De Aza went on the D.L. late last year, he came back and was horrible. The assumption was that he was just not ready to come back, but in reality pitcher's approaches to pitching him changed. He had the same approach.